Ransom W. Towle to Sebra Towle
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Last night I went down Town and on returning to Hospital found a letter mailed at
W. Rochester which proved to be from mother and was gladly recd news from home
is always welcome to a Person among Strangers even if there is no news to write
to hear the familiar expression of Friends and a mention of the little incidents
that are transpiring at home are eagerly read by a Person away from Home. Laura
seems fro her letters to be afraid of getting in useless lumber in her letters and of making them tedious but yours are more
of that conversational tone which makes me almost feel as if I were at home. It
does not require learned words or high sounding terms to make up an interesting
letter but to sit down and write off just what we would say to a Friend is the
essence of interesting correspondence. Last night we had the first frost of the
Season here - quite cool but Today is warm and pleasant in fact we are having a
fine fall. Chestnuts are quite plenty in these parts and the frost last night
will start them from the trees. The Boys in the Hospital are getting Papers to
go out Chestnuting. I am so confined that I cannot get away, if I could I would
pick some and send Home. I am very pleasantly situated
here the most
that can be said of it. I am confined from 8 in the morning till 4 in the
afternoon, it can hardly be called work. I stop in the Office of the Reception
Room near the head Surgeon and Stewards Office and if a man is wanted for any
purpose of work or an orderly they call on me and I detail a man from the Police
force which I have the charge of. My health is comfortably good I do not have
the Diarhea all of the time but just now and then by way of reminder of what I
have had and may have again. Ed thinks it a little rough because he is not used
to stinking meat and sour bread he wont mind it when he gets used to it our meat
does not stink all of the time nor very often when it does it is owing to the
negligence of the cooks we have just as good meat furnished us we could get at
home Our bread is all sour - it is made so and made of the poorest kind of flour
some of the time it is very poor at any time poor enough but we have a chance to
buy milk for five cts. a qt. and apples for one cent apiece. I live pretty much
on milk and apples. Henry Washburn left for Washington yesterday and I believe
his wife goes home today he went of feeling quite cheerful, but I will stop for
the present and write more next time
From your Soldier Boy Ransom W. Towle